🌱 Cobb Galleria Redevelopment + Atlanta Metro Population Trends

Morning, neighbors! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Smyrna-Vinings Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy with a t-storm. High: 83 Low: 58.

Are you a business owner or marketer in Smyrna-Vinings who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in and around Smyrna-Vinings today:

1. The Cobb Galleria Centre is undergoing a $150 million redevelopment plan to improve the convention center's accessibility by demolishing the shops and constructing a hotel, following years of struggle to compete with neighboring establishments. Although the galleria boasts excellent clients and shops, it has not been able to compete with the mall and The Battery Atlanta with their four large anchor stores located across the street. The proposed redevelopment will include larger ballrooms, additional parking, and a connecting hotel to the convention center, with construction set to begin in early 2024 following the company's research and planning phase. (Subscription: The Business Journals)
2. With limited room for expansion, some counties in the Atlanta Metro area are experiencing a decrease in population growth, while others such as Dawson and Lumpkin are seeing an increase of 5.8 percent over the past year, despite the hour-to-an-hour and twenty-minute commute time to downtown Atlanta. Meanwhile, Cobb County experienced a healthy population growth of 5,261 individuals from 2021-2022 and is now the third-largest county in the metro area, surpassing Dekalb County. (11Alive.com WXIA)
3. Paintings by an Atlanta local artist Ellen DeLoach will be on view in nearby Marietta at the Avery Gallery. DeLoach was known for her abstracts, landscapes, and figurative works, which explored themes of triumph through faith. On Thanksgiving in 2015, DeLoach and her husband were tragically murdered by their son. A collection of her work titled "Nesting: Loss, Triumph, and Redemption" will be on display until May 30. (WABE 90.1 FM)

Today in Smyrna-Vinings:

• Easter Egg Hunt At 3350 Atlanta Road (4:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Smyrna has released an update for the Boil Water Advisory. The advisory has been lifted for certain neighborhoods in the area. Visit the link to find out more. (City of Smyrna, GA Government via Facebook)
• A car crash yesterday afternoon shut down four lanes on I-75 causing a huge traffic backup and hours of delays. The accident was caused by a tractor-trailer that flipped over, blocking many of the lanes, and had to be removed and cleaned up before the lanes could be opened again. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
• The City of Smyrna will be holding its annual Spring Jonquil Festival at City Hall on Apr. 29-3o. The festival will feature over 150 arts and crafts booths, food booths, an entertainment stage, and a variety of children's activities. The festival runs from 10 a.m to 6 p.m on Saturday and 12-5 p.m on Sunday. (City of Smyrna, GA Government via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (April 7)
• Hop on Over to Sandy Springs Artsapalooza (April 9)
• SUP Yoga Teacher Training Certification (May 5)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with your next update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.